Tamang Development board Excluding Community Members - TYA

2:14 PM

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Tamang Youth Association

Hill Tamang Youth Association Accuses Tamang Development board of Excluding Community Members.

A day after accusation of corruption labelled by a senior Tamang Development board member Mr. Kamal Ghising against the Chairman Sanjay Ghising and Chief Advisor Neera Lopchan, yesterday Tamang Youth Association (TYA), Darjeeling sub-division committee has also accused the TD board of not including community members and discriminating against Tamangs from Darjeeling and Kurseong.

Speaking to the Press, TYA Darjeeling President Mr. Anand Lama stated that, "even after a year of formation of the TD board, the Chairman Sanjay Moktan has continued to work in a very shady manner and has been unable to bring together the community members... there is no transparency in the operations and functions of TD board."

Mr. Lama stated, "such is the label of high-handedness that the homes that are supposed to be built for community members are not being done according to the list prepared and approved for in the TDCB meeting... in fact far more houses have been sanctioned for Kalimpong, and not many for Darjeeling and Kurseong."

Speaking further on discrimination, Mr. Lama added, "even in the TD board executive committee which takes all the decisions, there is no board member from Darjeeling... as a result the poor people from Tamang community here are deprived of the facilities they are supposed to get... there is no one in the board to speak for them..."

Accusing Mr. Sanjay Moktan of running the TD board to suit his own personal needs, Mr. Lama said, "TD board was formed to conserve and promote Tamang language, dresses, culture and traditions... but today Sanjay Moktan is running the board like his personal property... with the 1st round of allocation for building homes, instead of giving money, TD board distributed building materials alone... and poor people were forced to build homes with just the given materials... how can anyone build a home without employing people who know how to build homes - masons, carpenters, electrician, plumbers - all require money... where would the poor people get money to pay?"

Stating that Tamang community is hurt, Mr. Lama added, "The way Mr. Sanjay Moktan is running TD board as his personal property, and its hurting all the Tamang community people... see for example we constituted a committee of 5 Engineers to inspect homes built with funds/materials provided by TD board... but till date no one from that committee has come to inspect houses in Darjeeling... instead Mr. Sanjay Moktan has sent those people who are not experts and who are not in this committee to inspect..."

Welcoming the statement and accusations labelled by Mr. Kamal Ghising against Sanjay Moktan and Neera Lopchan, Mr. Lama added, "the Darjeeling committee of TYA support the statement... we cannot allow a welfare organization to be run like someone's business... and if TD board officials do not change the way they run things, we will take up this matter with Sub-division committee, and even Bengal government."

[Inputs and pics via: Himalaya Darpan]
Via TheDC

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Mamata Banerjee not ready to give up the Darjeeling hills

6:58 PM

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Tamang Development Board

Claps for Mamata in Kalimpong - Won't give up hills, says CM

Writes Rajeev Ravidas

Kalimpong, Sept. 15: Mamata Banerjee, while announcing funds for three hill communities, today told a crowd of several thousands that she "is not ready to give up the Darjeeling hills", but it did not elicit protests.

Some in the crowd of nearly 10,000 at Kalimpong's Ronaldshay Park clapped. Back in January 2013, when Mamata had said Darjeeling "is a part of us" at a rally on Chowrasta, hill people had jeered and held up Gorkhaland placards. Soon after, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha had restarted a statehood movement.

Yesterday, several hill tribal leaders who had got development bodies for their communities said they were grateful to Mamata. "The chief minister has come forward to help us preserve our culture, language and tradition by forming the Tamang development board. We are grateful to her. I don't see anything sinister in this," said Sanjay Moktan, the chairman of the Tamang development board.

Sanjay Moktan, the chairman of the Tamang Development and Cultural Board,
receives a cheque from Mamata Banerjee in Kalimpong on Tuesday.
Picture by Chinlop Fudong Lepcha

Last week, Gurung had warned hill residents of the state government's effort to divide and rule in the hills. He had appealed for unity.

Although it is tough to tell if Mamata had won the hearts of a section of hill residents by setting up the cultural development boards for them, it is clear that not all tribal community leaders in the hills are convinced by Gurung's arguments.

Mamata, speaking in Hindi, told the crowd: "I am ready to ruin my life for the hills, but I will not give up the hills. I will not let the hills break away."

Tamangs, Bhutias and Sherpas were at the event organised by the Tamang Development and Culture Board. The crowd, which included many from among the non-tribal Mangars, greeted her remark with applause.

In Darjeeling, Binay Tamang, assistant secretary of the Morcha, reminded all that the GTA agreement, signed by Mamata's government and the Centre, "clearly mentions that the Gorkhaland demand has not been dropped and we can raise it whenever we want to".

Tamang repeated what Gurung has earlier said: "We will raise the issue with the Centre as Bengal cannot give us statehood."

The Morcha perceives the NDA government at the Centre to be more receptive to the Gorkhaland demand, although nowhere in the general election manifesto had the NDA mentioned that it would support the creation of a separate Gorkhaland state.

Morcha chief Bimal Gurung yesterday announced a renewed agitation for Gorkhaland, irked by the alleged interference of the state government in the functioning of the GTA.

The Tamangs today organised the programme to mark the first anniversary of their development board.

The board gave Mamata the title of Narsang Dolma or the goddess of light.

The Lepchas, the first to be given a development board by Mamata in 2013, had given Mamata the title of bestower of good fortune.

The chief minister said she was committed to working for the development of the hills. In return, she said, she sought nothing other than the love and affection of the people. "Till the time I live, I will continue visiting the hills," she said.

Tamang, the Morcha assistant secretary, said in Darjeeling that the chief minister need bother about development in the hills. "All she needs to do is to transfer all the 57 subjects to the GTA and ensure that there is no dual administration in the hills. If this is done, development will take place in the hills," he said.

The chief minister also announced funds for the Tamang, Bhutia and Lepcha boards. The funds, ranging from Rs 3.75 crore to Rs 10 crore, will be used to construct houses and toilets for poor residents among the three tribes. She indicated that she would also announce something for the Mangars at a programme of the Lepchas she is scheduled to attend at the Mela Ground in Kalimpong tomorrow.

The Mangars, too, have been demanding a development board for themselves, but Mamata during her last visit to Darjeeling in August had said no more such bodies would be formed.

ABGL vice-president Pratap Khati, who attended the programme at the invitation of the Tamang board, said what he witnessed at the programme was a superficial division of the Gorkhas brought about by the vision-less leadership of Gurung.

Source Telegraph

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Mamata Banerjee to lay foundation stone for Dowhill Educational Hub and Presidency University

1:32 PM

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Tamang Development Board

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will lay the foundation stone for the Dowhill Educational Hub and Himalayan Centre of Presidency University in Kurseong on September 14. The next day, she will attend a programme organised by the Tamang Development Board in Dr. Graham’s Homes, Kalimpong. On September 16, Banerjee will attend a programme hosted by the Lepcha Development Board at the Kalimpong Mela Ground.

She will head back to Kolkata on September 17. No meetings have been fixed with the GTA or GJM leaders during her stay in the hills. GJM president Bimal Gurung today said he would be in Delhi on September 14 and return only on September 17. He said he had personal work in the national capital but would try to meet the prime minister.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee in Kurseong - a file photo

Via EOI

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Didi attains Tamang Development and Cultural Board Annual Convention

10:28 PM

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Tamang Development Council

The Tamang Development and Cultural Board celebrated its first Annual Convention today in Darjeeling. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee was horned  as the chief guest of the event. The banner of the event read "TD&CB and the entire Tamang community of the hills Welcome our hon'bel chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee" 

 Tamang Development and Cultural Board Annual Convention

Later Mamata Banerjee on a social media wrote:

"The lovely Tamang people of the hills had invited me to be present in the Annual Convention today in Darjeeling.

The convention celebrated the first anniversary of Tamang Development and Cultural Board, which our Government had set up in January last year. The New Year celebration ‘Lochaar’ was also held.
I was very happy to watch the brightly attired little children and young brothers and sisters performing an excellent colourful cultural programme including the famous traditional Tamang dance, "Dumphoo".
We are assisting the Tamang Board with various development and cultural activities including housing for their people.
It is our earnest endeavour that all the people of the hills prosper and be happy.
My best wishes to all of them. I really love my Darjeeling brothers and sisters.
We are always with them and will be with them."

The Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee handed over a cheque worth Rs 5 crores to Tamang Development and Cultural Board (TDCB) Chairman Sanjay Moktan in a program organized at Lebong stadium.

Ms. Banerjee was attending the Foundation Day celebrations of TDCB, which was announced in January last year, an started functioning from June 2014.

Speaking at the occasion Ms. Banerjee said, "Last year we had given 5 crores, we are giving another 5 crores, use it for developing the community... in a transparent manner.. help the poor people in your community."

The proverbial 'Development Board' chickens have come home to roost and can open up a Pandora's box full of political quicksands that can gobble up TMC whole.

Now the Sara Bharat Matua Mahasangha - one of the most well organized minority community organizations in Bengal is now demanding the formation of a 'Development Board' for the socioeconomic development of the community in Bengal.

Will Bengal be able to afford "Development Boards" for all of them?

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Lack of transparency in Tamang Development and Cultural Board

10:45 AM

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Tamang Youth Association

Darjeeling, Oct. 16: A member of the Tamang Development and Cultural Board’s general council has alleged lack of transparency in the functioning of chairperson Sanjay Moktan, whose appointment was announced by Mamata Banerjee at a public meeting here.

Today, general council member Sanyog Tamang, called a news conference at his house here and said they did not know that a fixed deposit account had been opened in a bank in the name of the board. He alleged that some members of Tamang community were collecting subscriptions in the name of the board.

“Since the formation of the board, the chairperson, Sanjay Moktan is working in a non-transparent manner. Not a single meeting of the general council of the TDCB has been called till date. The general council members do not know who proposed and decided to open a bank account for the board,” said Sanyog , the son of ABGL leader Madan Tamang who was murdered here in 2010. “I have heard from reliable sources that the board has made a fixed deposit of Rs 5 crore for a period of three months. The general council has not been informed about the decision,” Sanyog said.

Mamata Banerjee had announced the Tamang Development and Cultural Board earlier this year at a public meeting and she had said Moktan would be its chairperson.

The board was formed on July 16, 2014 and it has been granted Rs 5 crore to build houses for community members.

“We have heard that the board has already started distributing houses but the general council is not aware of the development. We have also heard that the board has employed 10 staff members but we are not aware where the office is located,” Sanyog said.

He also alleged that Rs 200 was being collected by a section of people from the community from each person to avail himself of the facilities. “The board is for all the members of the Tamang community. Why should anyone pay subscription for its facilities?”

Sanyog added that Moktan was using a car with a nameplate of the Tamang board for personal use. “He is moving around in a vehicle carrying a nameplate of the board. It is being used for school duty (for family members) and shopping,” said the member.

The general council of the board has 14 members (apart from three ex-officio members) and Sanyog said at least seven of them were not happy with chairperson Moktan. “In the coming days, we will decide our course of action.”

The board also has a 10-member executive committee of which Sanyog is not a member.

Moktan refuted all allegations. “The decision to open a bank account and start the process of identifying houses to be built were taken by the executive council which held a meeting on September 26.”

Asked about the Rs 5 crore fixed deposit in the name of the board, Moktan said: “We cannot disclose certain decisions taken by the executive council. The onus to prove the allegations lies with the person who raised the allegation.”

Moktan said the government had not yet given him an official vehicle. “We do not have an office at the moment and we have written to the government for staff members. We are operating from an office of the Tamang Youth Association (a community-based social organisation). The board was registered a month ago and we are in the initial stage.”

Moktan also denied the allegation of people collecting subscription and said the board has decided to call a meeting on October 22. Sanyog said the meeting was being called as Moktan had got to know that others were dissatisfied.

Source: Telegraph

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Mamata Banerjee at Lepcha Development Board's 3rd Foundation Day

4:55 PM

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tribal news

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today attended the 3rd Foundation Day ceremony of the Mayel-Lyang Lepcha Development Board at Dr. Graham’s Homes Ground in Kalimpong. The chief minister announced a slew of new projects as well as additional funds for projects announced earlier. Appreciating the work done by the MLDB, she presented the board president, Lyangsong Tamsang, with a cheque of Rs10 crore as additional funds for the projects the board is currently working on. Banerjee also presented another cheque of Rs2.5 crore to Tamsang for the construction of an MLDB administrative building, while she presented Rs5 crore to the Tamang Cultural Development Board.

CM Mamata Banerjee at the MLDB's 3rd Foundation
 Day Ceremony in Kalimpong on Wednesday.

Banerjee said the state government will provide employment opportunities for educated unemployed youths of the Lepcha community as para-teachers at 46 different schools in the hills. Apart from that, she also announced the launch of 28 new government buses for the public in the hills. These buses will operate under the North Bengal State Transport Corporation and cater to the public of all the three sub-divisions of the hills. Other developmental announcements made by the chief minister included construction of shopping complexes  in Kalimpong, Kurseong and Gorubathan as part of the government’s initiative of rural economic development; ecotourism development at Tinchulay, Takdah, Pokharitar and Chimni under Darjeeling and Kurseong forest divisions; and 10 new check posts at Pulungdung, Todey and Jaldhaka under the Border Area Development Scheme. She also announced new provisions under the state government’s Kanyashree Scheme.

Further, the chief minister informed the state government will provide Rs11 crore for the development of solid waste management in Kalimpong. She further informed the TMC government will also start four new hydro-power projects in the hills. The four projects, slated to be developed at Rammam in Darjeeling and Teesta in Kalimpong, will be constructed at a total cost of Rs 3,300 crore.

Praising the work executed by the MLDS in such a short span of time, Banerjee said, “There are people who need work, but do not know how to find it. But the MLDB has done it and everyone should learn about work ethics from this board. Efficient usage of funds provided by the state government is also a commendable achievement.”

She also provided cheques to various beneficiaries working under a number of state government sanctioned schemes, including the Kanyashree Scheme, Farmer Credit Card Scheme, Meter Taxi Scheme, Minority Welfare Scheme and Lepcha Women’s Welfare Scheme. Lauding the completion of 1,000 Lepcha houses before the estimated time and the progress of the construction of an additional 1,000 such houses, Banerjee assured sanction of funds for 1,000 more Lepcha houses after the current lot gets completed. Further, the chief minister also assured the MLDA of providing land and funds for the construction of a Lepcha Cultural Heritage Centre, which was proposed by the board earlier.

The chief minister further directed DM Punit Yadav to form a steering committee for the beautification and conservation of the numerous rivulets and streams that flow through the Darjeeling hills. She said water from such sources can be purified for various usages under the MGNREGA programme. “This will also provide the people of rural areas an opportunity to earn extra income through the 100-day work scheme,” she added.

Further, the chief minister assured of speedy work on the development of the chief minister’s office in Darjeeling along with rural tourism development in Labhraysap and Lolaygaon areas and improvement in government hospital services. “Earlier you used to travel to Kolkata to meet the chief minister, but now I will bring Kolkata here. Until this body remains, I will always visit the Darjeeling hills. The hills call me and I have developed a special relationship with the Kanchenjunga,” she stated. Claiming her dream is to make the hills developed, prosperous and self-sufficient, Banerjee said, “Darjeeling is for the people, by the people, of the people.”

The third foundation day of the MLDB was also attended by NBDD minister Gautam Deb, Siliguri MLA Dr. Rudranath Bhattarai, chief secretary Sanjay Mitra, home secretary Basudev Banerjee, community development secretary SK Tathay, GTA principal secretary Gautam Ghosh, MLDP chairman Lyangsong Tamsang and TCDB chairman Sanjay Moktan along with other top bureaucrats and police officials. Other guests included representatives of various communities demanding tribal status from the state government.

Thanking the chief minister for gracing the foundation day ceremony with her presence, Tamsang and Moktan presented her with a citation and a memento. Representatives of various other communities, including the Limboo, Emi Bhutia, Singsa Bhutia, Bhujel, Mangar, Newar, Khamburai, Mukhia, Khas, Hitkari and Bengali also presented the chief minister with traditional gifts.

Source: EOI

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Tamang Development and Cultural Board announced by Mamata Banerjee

2:17 PM

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Tamang Development Council

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday announced the formation of Tamang Development and Cultural Board at a public meeting in Darjeeling’s Chowrasta

Lauding the developmental work done by Lepcha Development Board, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the setting up of Tamang Welfare and Cultural Board in Darjeeling on Thursday. Addressing a public gathering in Darjeeling, she announced an additional Rs. 20-crore grant to Lepcha Development Board and Rs. 10-crore grant to Tamang Development and Cultural Board.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday announced the formation of Tamang Development
 and Cultural Board

The announcement at the first public meeting of the Chief Minister after her party lost the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) alliance is significant. Her attempt to set up Lepcha Development Board was met with criticism by the GJM who had described the development as an attempt to create division among the people of the hills.

She also announced that the son of slain Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League leader Madan Tamang, as one of the member of Tamag Welfare and Cultural Board. The family members of Mr. Tamang have alleged that senior GJM leaders were involved in his murder in broad daylight.

“I want your trust, I want your faith…. I am not doing development for your votes,” the Chief Minister said. Ms. Banerjee also said that she has approached the Centre for conferring tribal status on the 11 communities from the region. “We have written to the new Central government to confer tribal status on 11 communities of the hills,” she said.

During her address delivered in Hindi, she made references to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, the regional autonomous council, which is run by the GJM, and said both the GTA and the State government will help in the development of hills.

“There will be politics but one should not bring politics into development,” the Chief Minister said, adding that she will meet the representatives of the GTA and local MLAs on Friday.

Referring to the Rs. 250-crore safari park-cum-zoo in Sukna near Siliguri, Ms. Banerjee said the upcoming project will play a big role in boosting tourism in the region. She said the 261-acre safari park will house several animals, including tigers, leopards, rhinos, and a variety of reptiles and birds.

On the issue of the closed tea gardens, the Chief Minister said that the Centre should come up with a package. She claimed that her government has decided to pay Rs. 1,500 to the workers of the closed tea gardens and assured that the workers will be provided jobs under the 100-day-work guarantee scheme.

Reacting to the formation of Tamang Board, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said: “The state government is indulging in divisive politics here. They want to divide the Gorkhas and rule. But they will not be successful.” Incidentally, one of the board members is Sanjog Tamang, son of slain Gorkha League leader Madan Tamang. Madan’s murder case is being investigated by the CBI while several senior Morcha leaders, including Giri, had figured in the FIR as “conspirators”.

The meeting, or the “administrative programme”, was organised by Darjeeling district administration, and both the GJM and its wing GTA had claimed that they “did not receive any official invitation” to attend the programme.

Mamata, however, informed that her officers did go to invite GTA chief executive Bimal Gurung but were told that he was “busy with his birthday celebration programmes”. “(Upon learning) I wished him on his 50th birthday,” the CM said.


Later in the day, a Morcha delegation, led by Giri and MLAs Trilok Dewan and Rohit Sharma, held a meeting with chief secretary Sanjay Mitra where it was decided that a GTA delegation led by chief executive Bimal Gurung will remain present at the administrative review meeting today. Mamata will hold the meeting at 2 pm.

Source: thehindu and mumbaitv

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GJM MLA Slams Mamata's Divide and Rule Policy

10:12 AM

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Tamang Development Board

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leader and Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma today came down heavily on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s role in what he called “dividing” the Gorkha community by constituting the Tamang Development Board and the Lepcha Development Council. The ethnic groups living in Darjeeling are unitedly known as the Gorkhas. “While dividing the Gorkha community, the unity in diversity, in Darjeeling Hills, she is playing with fire,” Mr Sharma said.

Hill Development Boards hindrance to Gorkhaland

CPI-M leader in the Hills, KB Watter, also criticised the chief minister for her “non-cooperation” in running the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).

The criticisms come the day Miss Banerjee pointed out during her programme in Darjeeling that development in the Hills was not possible without cooperation, while she said politics creates problems in bringing about development.

“She cannot utter such words. The state has extended cooperation for six months after the formation of the GTA. After that she has done politics and there was no cooperation from her end to run the GTA,” Mr Watter said, adding, “She is playing with fire by constituting separate boards for the Lepcha, Tamang and other communities in Darjeeling Hills.”

Also reacting to Miss Banerjee’s statement, Mr Sharma said: “Has the state implemented all the subjects mentioned in the GTA agreement? There are several points in the agreement, which are yet to be implemented. Where are the GTA School Service Commission and the GTA College Service Commission? Is the state cooperating with us in running the GTA properly?”
“Every political party will do politics to remain in power.

Our political views may be different, but the chief minister of the state should come forward in bringing in development in the Hills through the GTA,” Mr Sharma said, adding, “Has the state made any arrangement in the GTA to implement the Kanyashree project?”

About the scheme for girl students in the state, a Darjeeling resident said girls faced technical problems during submission of applications. “There was no proper campaigning of the Kanyashree project in the Hills. Leaflets should have been circulated in the Nepali language,” the girl said.

Notably, Miss Banerjee today expressed dissatisfaction over the poor implementation of the Kanyashree project in the Hills and urged the audience to register names of school-going girls to avail of the facility.

When contacted, GJMM MLA from Kalimpong, Harka Bahadur Chhetri, said: “I am in Kalimpong, I did not attend the CM’s programme, and I will not comment on any subject, including the Kanyashree scheme.”

“I do not have the progress report on the Kanyashree project because the GTA does not invite me in its meetings. Only Darjeeling MLA Trilok Dewan functions there as the GTA advisor. 
The Kurseong MLA has no connection with the GTA officially,” Mr Chhetri said.

Source: Statesman News Service

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